Rail anchor



Patented Oct. 18, 1932 untrue STATES,

ROLANDIS A. BLAIR, OF COLUMBIA CITY; INDIANA RAIDAN'GHOR' Application filed September 28, 1929, Serial No. 395,903. Renewed January 21, 1982.

My invention relates to rail anchors of the type comprising means fixedly mounted on a rail and adapted by engagement with a fixed portion of a track to hold the rail against movement longitudinally thereof. It is the object of my invention to provide an improved form and arrangement of parts in j a device of this type whereby the device may be capable of operating effectively when 1o formed for the greater part from low grade metal such low gradeand comparatlvely cheap parts being arranged so as to have such cooperation with the comparatively lighter and smaller high grade metal parts as to re- 1 enforce and strengthen them at critical points for insuring proper functioning. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a construction of this type in which the distortion brought about in the high grade partsof the anchor during its application to the rail shall be distributed in such manner as to prevent permanent distortion at any point.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an improved tieabutment member I by which the desired extensive engagement with the tie is provided and by which the rail gripping parts are strengthened and braced so as to permit of the use of a minimum size and weight of such gripping parts. It is another object of my invention to provide a construction of this type in which the tie abutment member stands in snug engagement with the rail gripping parts so as to be held strongly in position with respect thereto for avoiding any lost motion or play between the parts under any circumstances such as might result in the application of pressure with such leverage as to result in breakage of the in parts. It is another object of my invention to improve devices of this type in sundry details The preferred Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred form of my improved anchor in position upon a rail, the head portion of the rail being broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken substantially at line 22 of Fig. 1; and I Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the-anchorat an intermediate stage in the course of its application to the rail, the

lower portion of the tie abutment member co being broken away.

Referring now to theseveral figures of the drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, 10 indicates a railsupported on a plurality of ties 11, only one of which is shown;

My improved anchor comprises a cross bar 12 preferably formed of high grade steel turned backwardly upon itself at one end to provide an arm in the form of a jaw member 13, the arrangement being such that the device comprising the bar, 12 and the jaw 13 is adapted to be driven into position upon a rail. The end of the bar 12 opposite that at which the jaw-13 is formed is also turned upwardlyin the form of device as shown to provide a lug 14 which is adapted at the end of thedriving operation to snap'upwardly into engagement with the edge of the flange of the rail 10, serving to prevent the anchor from reverse movement transversely of the rail out of gripping engagement therewith.

My improved anchor comprises further a tie abutment member preferably in the form V of a casting. In the construction shown, my. 85

. improved tie abutment member comprises two plates 15 and 16 in spaced relationito each other connected together by two cross pieces 17 and 18 also in the form of plates in spaced relation vertically with respect toeach other, 9(-

the whole abutment device being in the form of an I-bar with an opening through the cross piece comprising the plates 17 and 18. As is clearly shown in Fig.1, the plates 15 and 16 are in close proximity to the bar 12 and the 9 jaw 13 so as to be held snugly in position with" respectto the gripping member of the anchor comprisingthe bar 12 and the jaw 13.

For application of the tie abutment member tothe rail 10, the plates 15 and 16, com- 1% prising the head portions of the I-bar structure, are provided with suitable notches a in their edge portions adapted to have a snug working fit on the flange of the rail for which the anchor is designed.

lVhen it is desired to apply the anchor to a rail, the gripping member comprising the bar 12 and the jaw 13 is first inserted through the opening in the cross piece of the tie abut ment member comprising the bars 17 and 18; the tie abutment member is then placed in position on the flange of the rail at one side thereof, with the bar 12 of the gripping member extending underneath the rail and the jaw 13 extending above the flange of the rail, in substantially the position as shown in Fig. 3. Pressure is then appliedupon the end of the gripping member for forcing the grip ping member toward the'left in said Fig. 3, such pressure being applied preferably by the use of a maul. The size of the opening between the plates 17 and 18 is designed to be such-that the bar 12 and jaw 13 are in tight engagement with the inner edges of the plates 18 and 17 as the gripping member is moved toward the left in Fig. 3 long before the grip-' ping member reaches its operative position on the rail as shown in Fig. 2.

By reason of this arrangement,-the tie abutment member holds the jaw 13 from swinging away from the bar 12 which constitutes a cooperating 'jaw. Instead of having a swinging. motion upwardly with respect to the bar 12, the jaw 13 is given an upward curvature at its end against the force of the resiliency of the jaw whereby the jaw in its 7 final operative position on the flange of the rail has a very strong pressure thereon. That is to say, the jaw 13 and the bar 12 have a very strong pinching grip-upon the flange of the rail. While the curvature of the jaw 13 is very considerable. in the aggregate, at the same time the curvature at any one point is quite limited, the result being that the jaw 13 is not permanently distorted at any point thercalong. -Moreover, in the application of theanchor to the rail, the curvature of the bar 12 for enabling the lug 14 to pass the edge of the rail for snapping upwardly into operative position as shown in Fig. 2 is dis'-' tributed along the bar 12 soas to prevent any permanent distortion. 7

With my improved anchor in position on the rail as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device has a very strong grip on the rail so as to be very effective for preventing longitudinal movement of the rail by reason of the heavy grip on the flange as above set forth. The tie abutment member is also held from swinging about a vertical axis with respectto the bar 12 and jaw 13 by reason of the snug engagement of the plates 15 and 16 with the sides of the jaw 13 and the bar 12. The tie abutment memberis held firmly in position upon the flange against any tendency for it to nesacse back transversely of the rail out of operative position by reason of the fact that the aw 13 slants upwardly and outwardly from the point where it engages the cross bar 17, so that it is impossible for the tie abutment member to move toward the right in Fig. 2.

By the use of my construction, by which the distortion necessary for effective gripping andthe additional distortion necessary for application of the device to the rail for which it is designed are distributed Widely along the gripping member, the device is made peculiarly fit for use on rails having a considerable tolerance as to size and shape. If the rail is undersized, the anchor has ell'ective gripping, and if the rail is oversized, the anchor readily yields without danger of breakage.

Upon a tendency for the rail to move longitudinally against the holding action of the anchor, such movement is opposed by the pinching grip of the jaw 13 and the bar 12. This pinching grip of the jaw member is strongly supplemented by the grip of the plates 15 and 16 upon the flange. With such plates having snug engagement with the flange of the rail and with the abutment memher as a whole pressed strongly toward the left in Fig. 2, the supplemental gripping by the plates 15 and 16 is suificient to enable me to use a comparatively light jaw member comprising the bar 12 and the jaw 13. It the gripping effect of both the jaw member and the plates 15 and 16 of the abutment member is not suilicient for holding the rail, a transverse shackle grip is brought into play between the notch 10a of the plate 15 and the edge of the lug 14 whereby the tendency to move is immediately checked.

Bythe provision of the abutment plate member in the form of an I-beam, the strength of the structure with respect to upward pressure on the bar 17 relative to the bar 16 is very materially increased. By the provision of the outwardly extending flanges comprising the outer edge portions of the plates 15 and 16, the construction is very strongly reenforced against the stresses to which the parts are subjected and the anchor is able to stand up indefinitely under hard conditions of use.

My device is also peculiarly adapted for use for application a number of times to the rail. WVhen the lug let is pried downwardly for removal of the anchor from the rail, this is effected without permanent distortion and the gripping member is just as strong as ever for use a second. time.

For shipment purposes, the grippingmem her is preferably driven into snug engagement with the tie abutment member so that the device may be handled as a single piece device.

While I prefer to employ the construction substantially as shown in my drawing, it is to be understood that I do not limit my in vention to the form shown except so far as the claims may be so limited by the prior art.

I claim v c 1. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other for receiving the flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out -of engagement therewith, and an abutment member comprising a plate having an opening therein through which said jaws extend for holding the jaws in gripping relationship on said rail flange, and a second plate connected with said first named plate and extending in opposite directions therefrom opposite the edges of said jaws.

2. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other for receiving the flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member comprising a plate having an opening therein through which said jaws extend for holding the jaws in gripping relationship on said rail flange, and a second plate connected with said first named plate and extending in opposite directions therefrom opposite the edges of said jaws and having a notch in one edge portion having a close'fit on the flange of said rail.

3. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member comprising two aws in spaced relaion to each other for receiving the flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abu ment member comprising a plate having an opening therein through which said jaws extend for holding the jaws in gripping relationship on said rail flange and held in position adjacent to the edge of said rail flange by its engagement with said jaw member, and a second plate connected with said first named plate and extending inopposite directions therefrom opposite the edges of said jaws.

L. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member formed of high-grade metal and comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other for receiving the flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member comprising two plates at opposite sides of said jaw member, and cross bars extending between said plates in engagement with said aws serving to hold said jaws from swinging away from each other whereby the jaws have strong driving grip on the flange of the rail, said abutment member compr sing an outwardly extending flange on the outer faces of said cross bars serving to reenforce the structure.

5. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member formed of high grade metal and comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other forrreceiving a flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member comprising two plates in close proximity to said jaw member at opposite sides thereof, and cross bars positioned between said plates and connected thereto along intermediate lines between the inner and outer edges of said plates and serving by engagement with said jaws to hold them from swinging away from each other whereby the jaws have a strong driving grip on the flange of the rail.

6. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member formed of high grade metal and comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other for receiving a flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member in the form of a section of I-bar having an opening through the-cross piece through which said jaws extend, said abutment member serving by engagement with said jaws to hold the jaws from swinging away from each other whereby the awshave a strong driving grip on the flange of the rail.

7. In a rail anchor, thecombination of a member formed of high grade metal and comprising two jawsin spaced relation to each other for receiving a flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member in the form of a section of I-bar having an opening through the cross piece through which said jaws extend and having notches in the edges of the oppositely disposed plate portions into which the flange of the rail extends, said abutment member serving by engagement with said jaws to hold the jaws from swinging away from each other whereby the jaws have a strong driving grip on the flange of the rail. 7 v

8. In a rail anchor, the combination of a member formed of high grade metal and comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each other for receiving a flange of a rail therebetween, means for holding said jaws from backing transversely of the rail out of engagement therewith, and an abutment member in the form of a heavy Least-ing having an opening through the cross piece through which said jaws extend, said abut- Inent member serving by engagement with said jaws to hold the jaws from swinging away from each other whereby the jaws have a strong driving grip on the flange of the rail.

9. Ina rail anchor, the combination of a member formed of high grade metal and comprising two jaws in spaced relation to each of a rail theresaid jaws from rail out of en abutment memother for receiving a flange between, means for holding backing transversely of the gagement therewith, and an her in the form of a heavy I-casting having an opening through the cross piece through which said jaws extend, said jaws by their engagement with said opening serving to hold the abutment member in engagement 1 with the flange of the rail, and said abutthereof having notches in their edges engaging the flange of the rail, and cross bars positioned between said plates and connected thereto serving by engagement with said jaws to hold them from swinging away from driving grip on the flange of the rail, said plates being extended outwardly beyond said cross pieces in substantially parallel relation serving materially to reenforce the i structure at the points opposite said notches.

11. In a rail anchor, the combination of a bar having an upwardly and backwardly turned arm thereon at one end, and an abutment plate member adapted to engage and grip the base flange of a rail at one side thereof and comprising spaced cross pieces adapted by engagement with said bar and arm to limit movement of the abutment plate member toward one end of said bar, said abutment plate member comprising flange means extending outwardly beyond the edge of the rail transversely of the rail for preventing the upper end of the member from buckling outwardly, said bar being adapted 'to engage the base flange of the rail at its opposite edge portion for holding said abutment plate member in operative rail gripping position.

12, In a rail anchor, the combination of a bar having an upwardly and backwardly turned arm thereon at one end, and an abutment plate member adapted toengage and grip the base flange of a rail at one side thereof and comprising spaced cross pieces adapted by engagement with said bar and arm to limit movement of the abutment plate member toward one end of said bar, said cross pieces being held ri idly in spaced relation to each other by flanges extending outwardly therefrom at opposite sides of said bar and arm, said bar being adapted to engage the base flange of the rail at its opposite edge portion for holding said abutment plate member in operative rail gripping position.

ROLANDIS A. BLAIR.

each other whereby the jaws have a strong 7 j 

